Methods and materials for stiffening paper match splints



Patented Jan. 24, 195

METHODS AND MATERIALS FOR STIFFEN- ING PAPER MATCH SPLINTS HerbertEllern, St. Louis, Mo., assignor to Universal Match Corporation, St.Louis, Mo., a corporation of Delaware No Drawing. Application March 7,1947, Serial No. 733,190

1 Claim.

This invention relates in general to certain new and useful improvementsin methods and materials for stiffening paper match splints and, moreparticularly, to methods and agents for impregnating formed paper matchsplints for increasing the strength and general utility thereof.

In the manufacture of book-matches, a web of a certain type of cardboardis transformed in a punch-press, or by other means, into so-calledstrips or combs consisting of a solid strip of cardboard e. g. 12 inchesWide and inch from which extend normally 100 sticks or splints, eachcommonly 1% inches long and /8 inch wide. The caliper or thickness ofthe matchboard is usually around 0.040 inch, the apparent density of theboard is close to 0.70. In the further process of book-match making, thetips of the splints are immersed to a small fraction of an inch intomolten paraffin, whereby a small part (usually to inch) of the splint isimpregnated with paraihn, for the purpose of later enabling the ignitedpyrotechnic mixture forming the head to transfer its flame to the stickwhich otherwise would not catch fire.

For purposes of economy, the paraffin used for this impregnation ismostly a crude yellow or white parafi'in of high oil content and lowmelting point and, therefore, fairly soft at room temperature. Bettergrades of parafiin are used occasionally in smaller factories, but, inany case, the sole purpose of the impregnation has always been the needfor easy transfer of flame to the stick and not a modification of thephysical properties of the splint. In fact, whenever, by accident, theimpregnation exceeds the usual length of imbibition, e. g. during a stopin operation, such match splints are regarded as waste and aredestroyed.

It is well known that the book-match splint is much inferior in strengthto the wooden match. Notwithstanding its width of 0.125 inch, it isnecessary to grasp the splint fairly close to the head and withdraw thefingers immediately after the lighting has taken place, and when thepaper match is drawn across the striking strip with the wider edge ofthe head and stick facing and pressed against the striking surface,danger of breakage is even greater. While individual habits vary widelyas to the pressure applied and positions of the match in the act ofstriking, it frequently happens that the paper match splint, after theact of striking, is deformed, partly broken through, and occasionallybroken into two pieces. This flimsiness of the book-match causes manypeople to avoid their use since they are afraid of getting burned in theact of striking, due to the proximity of the fingers to the point ofignition, and they are unwilling, or unable, to submit to a routine ofquickly shifting the fingers, a form of dexterity which is not needed inthe'use of the highly rigid wooden match.

On the other hand, there is an increasing scarcity of wood suitable forwood-match making, as well as an enormous waste in such woods because ofthe need of producing flawless wood blocks free from knots and crookedfibers. Furthermore, the need for shipping Wood-blocks from remotewooded regions to the centers of match manufacture creates a substantialfreight problem. In addition, match-splint cutting operations not onlyrequire the use of very small wood-blocks which must be hand-fed intothe machine, but also require experienced operators, because the blocksmust be fed only in a certain direction in reference to the direction ofthe grain, to avoid oblique splitting of the splints.

It is, therefore, the primary object of the present invention to providemethods and materials for making an improved paper match-splint of suchrigidity and breaking strength that it approaches the strength of awooden splint of equal dimensions.

It is also an object of the present invention to provide impregnants fortreatment of matchboard which are inexpensive, low-melting, which burnfreely without producing soot or noxious fumes, and which are low inviscosity at the temperature range in which treatment is carried out.

It is, furthermore, an object of the present invention to create a papermatch-splint of reatly reduced width, increasing the number of lightsper book for the same area of frontage, While still maintaining astrength superior to the regular paper splint, thus not only savingpaper board, but also reducing the amount of head composition clue tothe smaller cross-section of the tip.

It is also an object of this invention to provide a book-match ofgreatly reduced width, but increased thickness or caliper, approachingmore or less a square cross-section, thus creating a book-match which,no matter which point of the surface of the head is pressed against thestriking surface, will have higher rigidity and breaking strengthsuperior to the conventional bookmatch, and which, aside of otheradvantages, e. g. reduction in dimensions of splint area and cover area,also take a much smaller head than an ordinary book-match.

It is, furthermore, an object of the present invention to adapt themethods and materials of the present invention to conventional methodsof book-match splint production, for the manu-- facture of an improvedmatch splint, such as a splint of approximately square cross-section.

t is another object of the present invention to eliminate and replacethe customary paraffining of the splint without requiring elaborate,costly, or space-consuming changes or additional equipment.

With the above and other objects in view, my invention resides in thenovel processes and compositions of matter presently described andpointed out in the claim.

Broadly speaking, my invention comprises the treatment of match-board,during the course of its progress through the match-making process, witha relatively inexpensive, low-melting impregnant, which burns freelywithout objectionable smell or soot, and which is low in viscosity inthe temperature range in which treatment is carried out. It is alsopossible to employ combinations of impregnating substances with orwithout admixture of resinous substances and other modifying agentswhich, at a suitable temperature, form a homogeneous or practicallyhomogeneous melt, are easily and quickly imbibed into the immersed cutsplint, filling the interstices between, and binding together, thefibers of the match-board splint, and which congeal rapidly at roomtemperature to produce a marked increase in stiffness and breakingstrength of the resulting match-splint, and at the same time replace theconventional parafiining of the splint for the purpose of transferringthe flame of the burning tip composition to the stick. A preferable formof impregnant may comprise a medium to high melting point parafiln waxcombined with a small quantity of opal wax and carnauba wax, and thelatter waxes may be supplanted partly or totally by waxy substances ofthe class of microcrystalline Waxes of the hard or brittle type, stearicacid, ozocerite, montan and ceresin wax.

It is also possible to use an impregnant including resinous substancesespecially rosin itself, or in modified form, e. g. as salt, ester gum,or modified ester gum. It has been found that especially the productscommercially known as limed resins, when incorporated with paraifin wax,provide excellent impregnants which form clear thin homogeneous melts atpractical temperatures in various proportions, though I practicallylimit the addition to about 20% since, with increased amounts of rosinsbeyond this point, the combustion of the compound becomes more and moresooty and, also, no appreciable gain in strength is achieved beyond thisamount. I do not limit myself, however, to this particular type ofmodified rosin, having found that plain rosin, hydrogenated rosin,especially after liming, and other salts beside the calcium resinate,especially zinc resinate and also lithium resinate, as well as ester gumand modified ester gums, can be incorporated in parafiin or waxcombination melts with varying ease and in varying amounts, thoughsometimes requiring the addition of a compatibility-promoting substance.I have found that the breaking strength of an ordinary match stickdetermined at 150 grams plain can be increased up to 450 grams'with theaddition of rosin derivatives, which latter figure approaches closelythe calculated strength of a wooden splint of the same dimensions.

It is also possible to incorporate into paraffin wax varying amounts ofmaterials of the class of the cumar-resins, fused copal gum, andethylcellulose mostly using third substances to promote compatibilityand other suitable properties. It has also been found that hardvarieties of gilsonite in quantity up to 20% can be incorporated intoparaffin wax melts and not only greatly improve the strength of thesplint, but also cause a jet-black coloration, which heretofore couldonly be achieved at a considerable added expense.

I have also incorporated into paraffin-gilsonite combinations anappreciable amount of sulphur with further improvement of the strengthand while the smell of burning sulphur in matches is nowadays regardedas objectionable, in this country, I claim the incorporation of sulphuras an addition to my melt since it is efficient, low in price, andtolerated by people on a lower economic level.

It is also possible to incorporate into the melt such other substanceswhich will promote compatibility, modify the viscosity of the melt, ormelting point of the compound, or both, produce a distinctive color ofthe stick, impart fragrance to the match, or to the gases of combustion,or both, and improve or retard speed of combustion of the burning wax oract as a glow preventative for the burnt out fiber mass, as for example,small amounts of high-boiling solvents, oil-soluble salts of fatty acidsand high melting point synthetic waxes for modification of the physicalproperties especially viscosity of the melt itself oil-soluble orwax-soluble dye-stuffs and oil dispersible pigments especially the dyebase fatty acid compounds for colorings; perfume oils or other fragrancyimparting substances; and derivatives of the class of organic compoundsof phosphorous and boron, as well as other compounds of the class ofphosphor or boron-acids, which are soluble in the wax melt or finelydispersible in it as flame-retarding and/or glowpreventing compounds.

By way of illustration, and not by way of limitation, it has been foundthat the following specific formulae will produce excellent results:

Example I Parts by weight White refined paraffin Limed rosin (4.75%Ca(OH)2) 20 Melt together until a clear melt is achieved, cool to asuitable dipping temperature, preferably not exceeding 275 F. Adddye-stuffs, etc., if so desired.

Splint strength 450 grams grams).

(untreated Example II Parts by weight White refined paraffin 83Gilsonite 17 Color jet black. (untreated 150 Combine as under Example I.Splint strength 430 grams grams).

Example III Parts by weight White refined paraflin 61 Limed rosin 18Gilsonite 18 (untreated 150 Example IV Parts by weight White paraffin 67Limed rosin Opal wax '7 Carnauba wax 11 splint strength 520 grams(untreated 150 grams) I have found that with ordinary mat0h-board themost suitable temperature of impregnation for Example I is 240 to 260F., the compound imparting to the stick a pleasing mat effect against amottled appearance at higher temperatures, and increasing and uselesssurface impregnation at lower temperatures. Since, customarily, a papermatch is held not lower than at the middle of the splint, it wouldsuffice to immerse the splint to about /3 or even lessof the totallength into the melt, and still benefit fully from the strengtheningaction. However, as a result of the stiffening action of theimpregnants, and the penetration thereof to the base of the splint andthe region of scoring line, the resulting match can be torn off muchmore readily, a fact that is very important in the case of the use ofhard-pressed board of heavier caliper which presents a scoring problem.

It has also been found feasible to pre-im-' pregnate the board in theweb on one or both sides preliminary to entering the punch-die with thesame or a different Wax compound, the sheet taking up from 2% to 10%and, incidentally, promoting a cleaner cut edge and a better, smootherlooking splint. Such pre-impregnation of the web alone will contributeonly little to the improvement of strength and may not suffice for asatisfactory transfer of flame.

It is true that some efforts have heretofore been made to achievegreater stiffness in the match-splints by incorporation of stiffeningagents directly into the paper as it is being made. For instance,various chemicals have been experimentally added to the pulp while inthe beater. Such methods, however, are limited to certain types ofsoluble or dispersed resins or resin-wax combinations which can beprecipitated more or less thoroughly by chemical reaction, and even thensuffer losses in the white water of the paper machine. The amount ofmaterial thus incorporated into the fiber mass is neces sarily limitedsince higher percentages interfere seriously with the dehydration of theWeb on the sieve, not to speak of the clogging up of screenwire, pressand drying felts, and cylinders. Resin and waxes, incorporated in thismanner, primarily improve tensile strength which is relativelyunimportant in a match-splint and do not appreciably improve thestiffness, since the interstices between the fibers cannot be filledsufliciently to cause a material increase in rigidity. Lastly, even ifsuch properties as achieved by the present invention were attainable bybeater or paper machine application, it would be impossible to wind thisboard in the form of rolls due to the stiffness and brittleness of thefinal product.

In contradistinction to these conventional methods, imp-regnants of thepresent invention enter the individual splints from all points aroundthe periphery thus being deposited primarily where the maximum increaseof strength can be achieved. Due to thorough satiation of theinterstices between the fibers, these impregnants create a state ofrigidity and increase the breaking strength, which latter may reach 400of the breaking strength of untreated match-board, thereby closelyapproximating the essential strength properties of white pine.

Although the present invention has been described primarily withreference to improvements in the manufacture of book matches, it shouldbe understood that these same methods and improvements can, with equalfacility, be applied to the manufacturing, from paper-board, of singlesplints which can be employed in making single splint matches which arecompetitively equivalent and, in many cases, superior to wooden matches.

It should also be understood that changes in the methods, compositions,percentages, and combinations above set forth may be made withoutdeparting from the nature and principle of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure byLetters Patent is- A stiffening impregnant for paper-board havingapproximately the following composition:

Parts by weight White paraflin 6'7 Limed rosin 15 Opal wax 7 Carnaubawax 11 HERBERT EILEEN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date Re. 16,256 Moscini Jan. 26, 1926632,781 Mar Sept. 12, 1899 2,325,085 Vore July 27, 1943 2,325,167 VoreJuly 27, 1943

